


An Ode to Freedom

by Jianshii



Category: Red Dead Redemption
Genre: Angst, Gore, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-07 17:42:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16858465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jianshii/pseuds/Jianshii
Summary: John opens his eyes to the evil he was raised by after being left behind to die.





	An Ode to Freedom

He was left on death’s door by the man he thought he could trust: the man he thought of as a father. He watches, the image burning into his mind as Dutch turns his back to him and leaves without a trace. John clutches his bullet wound, trying to keep the blood from seeping out. It was sticky and warm; it was painful and numb.

~

Denial comes first. He thinks to himself that Dutch and the gang will come for him. That Dutch has a rescue plan for him. That Dutch would come back for him, lift him up and tell him he can’t die like this, not here. He closes his eyes, feeling the blood trickle through his fingers and listening to the nature around him. But no one is coming, no matter how long he waits.

The despair comes next. The realization that no, no one is coming. Dutch has left, and so has everyone else. No one is coming to save him, and he will die here, alone. For a while, he thinks this is it. He won’t be able to see Abigail or Jack again, or anyone else from the gang. There is nowhere to go, nothing he can do, and this is where he will die.

Then he becomes angry. Livid. He grits his teeth and grunts as he tries to lift himself up. His legs feel like toothpicks and he might fall back to the floor at any moment, but his pure rage and determination to confront Dutch pushes him onwards. He wants to punch him. Kick him. Strangle him. Kill him. He wants to hurt Dutch for leaving him behind. How dare he? He’s John fucking Marston! He picked him up and raised him like a son, only to leave him to die from a bullet wound! John yells and screams and curses, wishing nothing but the worst for that bastard.

The anger dies down eventually, as he staggers along in the direction he watched Dutch’s back fade away to. Well, not entirely. He still wants to punch Dutch more than anything. But as he limps, he looks around him, observing every inch of the world he can see. Its like a veil over his eyes has been lifted, and everything looks clear. The nature is beautiful and vast, and he can go anywhere he wanted to. He could follow the birds as they fly to an unknown destination, he could climb the mountains he could see on the horizon, he could ride his horse towards the setting sun. He doesn’t need Dutch. He doesn’t need people that don’t give two shits about him. And he feels anew. He’s on top of the world. He’s a man of his own power, not Dutch’s.

And so, with his brows furrowed but a grin on his face, he stumbled on, dead set on staying alive to live his life, relying on only himself. He’ll find his family and settle down, and live his days on a peaceful ranch and be happy.

Dutch can fuck right off.


End file.
